Age-dependent effects of the recombinant spike protein/SARS-CoV-2 on the M-CSF- and IL-34-differentiated macrophages in vitro.

ABSTRACT: The SARS-CoV-2 virus causes elevated production of senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP) markers by macrophages. SARS-CoV-2 enters macrophages through its Spike-protein aided by cathepsin (Cat) B and L, which also mediate SASP production. Since M-CSF and IL-34 control macrophage differentiation, we investigated the age-dependent effects of the Spike-protein on SASP-related pro-inflammatory-cytokines and nuclear-senescence-regulatory-factors, and CatB, L and K, in mouse M-CSF- and IL-34-differentiated macrophages. The Spike-protein upregulated SASP expression in young and aged male M-CSF-macrophages. In contrast, only young and aged male IL-34-macrophages demonstrated significantly reduced pro-inflammatory cytokine expression in response to the Spike-protein in vitro. Furthermore

SUBMITTER: Duarte C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7857081 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature